UPDATE 1-Perry Ellis posts Q4 profit above analysts' view

(Recasts, adds details, share movement)

March 17 (Reuters) - Clothing manufacturer Perry Ellis International Inc (PERY.O) posted higher-than-expected quarterly earnings and forecast a strong 2009 driven by acquisitions and strength in its brands, sending its shares up 8 percent.

For the fourth quarter, the company posted net income of $9.9 million, or 65 cents a share, compared with $10.7 million, or 68 cents a share, a year earlier.

Total revenue fell 8 percent to $212.3 million, the maker of men's and women's apparel, whose brands include Jantzen, Original Penguin and Gotcha, said.

Fourth-quarter results were hurt by a reduction of $20 million in the bottoms platform due to a deceleration in replenishment programs and its exit from a large mass merchant private label program, the company said.

Two analysts on average expected earnings of 63 cents a share, while one analyst was looking for revenue of $212 million for the quarter, according to Reuters Estimates.

Looking ahead, the company sees continuous growth in Perry Ellis, swim, golf, action sports, Hispanic and retail businesses and solid performances by its recently acquired women's contemporary brands Laundry by Shelli Segal and C&C California.

For the year ending Jan. 31, 2009, Perry Ellis expects earnings of $1.95 to $2.00 per share on revenue of $910 million to $925 million.

One analyst was expecting earnings of $1.80 a share, and two analysts were expecting revenue of $925.2 million for the year.

Shares of the company were trading at $18.34 after the bell. They had closed at $17.05 Monday on Nasdaq. (Reporting by Swagata Gupta in Bangalore; Editing by Deepak Kannan)